Flavors of Guatemala: pepián, Antigua coffee and Ron Zacapa

Guatemalan cuisine is probably the most underrated in Central America. Squeezed between its Mexican neighbor and Caribbean flavors, it has its own identity — gentler, more complex, deeply rooted in pre-Columbian Maya cooking. Here are the flavors that struck me most over 15 years.

Pepián, the national dish

If you had to remember just one Guatemalan dish, it would be pepián — one of the oldest dishes still served daily, listed as intangible heritage by UNESCO. A thick stew of chicken or beef simmered slowly with a paste of seeds (sesame, pumpkin), roasted tomatoes, chilies, spices and chocolate. Thinned with water and served with white rice.

I first tasted it in 2018 in Antigua, in a family comedor that has been open for 40 years (Doña Luisa Xicotencatl, calle 4 oriente). I’ve been back three times since. It’s the kind of dish you won’t find in hotels — you have to go to the comedores and accept that the cleanliness isn’t up to French restaurant standards. That’s precisely what gives it its soul.

Where to taste : Doña Luisa Xicotencatl in Antigua (historic comedor), La Fonda de la Calle Real (4 locations in town), Hectort’s Bistro for a more refined version.

Fiambre, the dish of the dead

November 1st, All Saints’ Day, is one of the highlights of the year in Guatemala. The whole country prepares fiambre — a complex salad combining more than 50 ingredients: ham, smoked turkey, sardines, olives, beetroot, cauliflower, asparagus, cheese, hard-boiled eggs, all marinated in a silky vinaigrette. Every family has its own recipe, passed down through generations.

It is probably the most culturally moving dish in the country. It is shared with family at the cemetery, in front of graves decorated with yellow flowers (cempasúchil), while giant kites (barriletes gigantes) float above the dead to guide them. Sumpango and Santiago Sacatepéquez are the two villages where you can see the barriletes gigantes — a spectacular event on November 1st.

Antigua coffee, one of the world’s best

Guatemala produces one of the best arabica coffees in the world, and Antigua is the most renowned region. Volcanic soils, shade-grown under a canopy of native trees, at 1,500 meters — conditions are perfect.

Five specialty fincas to know:

1. Filadelfia Coffee Resort (tour + steam train)
2. Bella Vista Coffee (certified Q-Grader on site)
3. De La Gente (community cooperative in San Miguel Escobar)
4. Finca El Injerto (Huehuetenango, the country’s most high-end)
5. Las Nubes (Atitlán, rare high-altitude coffee)

An ideal day : departure from Antigua at sunrise, finca tour, spoon tasting (cupping) with a Q-Grader, and you head home with 2-3 bags of specialty coffee (15-30 USD per 250 g).

Ron Zacapa, national pride

Distilled since 1976 in Zacapa (in the east of the country), Zacapa Centenario is probably the most awarded rum in Central America. Aged at 2,300 meters (solera system), with notes of chocolate, vanilla, cacao and dried fruit.

To try depending on your profile :

• Zacapa 23 (Centenario) : balanced, ideal as a digestif. 35-50 USD a bottle in Guatemala (50% cheaper than in France).
• Zacapa XO : aromatic richness, to drink neat in a tulip glass. 80-120 USD.
• Zacapa Royal : limited edition, complex vanilla-bourbon notes. 250-400 USD.

Distillery visit : guided tours in Quetzaltepeque (Zacapa), 2 days a week, 35 USD with a tasting of the three ages.

Street food: tostadas, garnachas, atole

Guatemala has a lively, underrated street food scene:

• Tostadas : crispy fried tortilla topped with guacamole, frijoles volteados (refried beans) or mole hot sauce. 1-2 USD each.
• Garnachas : small pan-fried corn cakes topped with chicharrón and fermented cabbage. A Quetzaltenango (Xela) specialty.
• Chuchitos : miniature tamales stuffed with chicken or pork, cooked in a banana leaf.
• Atole de elote : a hot drink made from fresh corn, vanilla, cinnamon. In the morning, at the markets. 0.50 USD a glass.

Where to taste the best street food : the markets of Chichicastenango (Thursday/Sunday), Sololá (Friday), Antigua Recoleción street in the morning.

Maya chocolate, back to the origins

Guatemala is one of the cradles of the world’s cacao — the Maya civilization made it a sacred drink 3,000 years before the Aztecs introduced it to the Spanish. Today, the ChocoMuseo in Antigua offers 2-hour workshops where you turn the bean into an artisanal bar (from roasting to molding).

Also worth trying: xocolatl maya, a traditional chocolate drink with chilies, cinnamon and vanilla. You’ll find it in every Maya market, served hot in the morning. Very different from Western hot chocolate, more complex.

A few words to know at the comedor

• Comedor : the cheap family restaurant where the locals eat. Dishes at 30-50 quetzals (€3-6).
• Tortilla : the corn flatbread at the heart of every meal. Not to be confused with the Spanish tortilla (an omelette).
• Refresco natural : fresh fruit juices (jamaica, tamarindo, naranja), at 5-10 quetzals.
• Smoothie : fresh fruit milkshake with milk. 10-15 quetzals.
• Quesadilla : here it’s a cheese and anise cake (nothing like the Mexican version).

For logistical bases (seasons, transport, formalities), refer to our Practical guide to preparing your trip to Guatemala. To plan your itinerary, consult our Guatemala Itinerary Guide.

Compose your gourmet trip on Toucan Discovery Dynamics — we integrate finca visits, tastings and culinary experiences on request.

Enjoy your meal!